NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1762, 13 October 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Supreme Court. —The civil sitting of the Supreme Court was formally opened at ten o’clock this morning. The Deputy-Eegistrar intimated to his Honor that the cause fixed for trial, viz., Buck v. N.Z. Sun Company, had been discontinued. His : Honor then stated to the jurymen present that had the time allowed, the Sheriff would have given notice to the jurors, but notice of the discontinuance was only given to the officers of the Court after office hours. However, their having attended that day would free them from further services until next year. As the law stood, jurors summoned on civil cases could not be paid any fees unless they served, thus they would not be enti' od to receive any. Had there been occasion tor their services, twelve only out of the thirty-six could have claimed fees, so that twenty-four would have been disa_ppointed. He had now pleasure in discharging them, regretting that they had been called there unnecossrrily, although in due course of law. The Court then adjourned until Wednesday, at 10 a.m., when the libel case of Barker v. the “ Lyttelton Times ” will be taken. Committee Meetings. —The works committee of the City Council met this morning, and several matters, some of which had already been standing over, came under consideration, and nothing definite could bo resolved upon pending the settlement of matters financial. Subsequently, a meeting of the finance committee was held, and they will report to the Council this evening. The Suez Mail. —As will be seen by reference to shipping telegrams, the Arawata arrived at the Bluff at 7 p.m. yesterday with (he Suez mail. Teottinq Kace. —The 'match between Mr Porter’s mare and Mr Q-. Sheppard’s nomination Victoria has been postponed for a time in consequence of an accident to the former. Mss George Barbell.— The friends of this lady will regret to hear that she is so seriously ill that Mr Darrell has had to give up his 00-lesaeeship of the Victoria Theatre, Sydney, and proceed to Melbourne. The medical men attending her give little or no hopes of her recovery. Citt Council.— The ordinary weekly [meeting of the City Council will be held this evening at seven o’clock. Sydenham Borough Council. This Council will meet at seven to-night. Vine Aets. —There is now on view at the shop of Mr H. Fisher, Hereford street, two charming portraits of the children of a well known citizen, which are well worth inspection, The artist is Herr Lindauer, whose portraits of North Island Maoris were referred to in a recent issue.

Theatricals in Wellington. —lt is a remarkable fact (says the “Hew Zealand Times ” of the 7th) that the troubles of opera companies appear to begin and end in the city of Wellington. It is not long since Simmons’ and Mitchell’s troupe came to grief through playing “ H.M.B. Pinafore ” at a time when one of the members of the company was not fit to appear on the stage, the result being a complete collapse; and now the legitimate Pinafore Company, which has been doing such an excellent business, has fallen upon hard times —judging from the fact that they yesterday had to appear before the Resident Magis trate’s Court on several charges of debt, one of which—that of omitting to pay the printer —is a very venal offence. It seems that after the usual performance on Saturday night an unrehearsed programme was gone through, in consequence of the appearance of more than one bailiff and several creditors upon the scene, and it was said yesterday that there would be some difficulty in the company getting away to Nelson, in consequence of the judgment given against them by the Resident Magistrate, as well as their being a number of liens over certain property owned by individual members of the company who are in arrears for board and lodging. Wellington will be getting a bad name in this matter of shipwreck “ Pinafore ” companies. It is understood there were some troubles of the kind in Christchurch, but it was left to the Empire City to bring it to a climax. Larceny at Poet.—Some time since complaints of petty larcenies being committed on board vessels lying at the wharves were continually being made by shipmasters, but of late they have been less frequent. The last instance reported in that line was on Saturday morning, the article stolen being the binocular glasses from the companion way on board the brig Elliotts alongside the wharf. The theft was committed between sunset on Friday and sunrise on Saturday. Captain Blake’s name was engraved upon them. The Racecourse. —The trustees of the course have determined that a notice shall be placed at the main gate warning trespassers that they will be prosecuted. This step has been considered necessary in consequence of a number of strangers recently running horses on the course without permission, whilst others have considered that they have a right to make a thoroughfare of the reserve. This being so, in the interests of the public and of sport, the trustees have resolved that all such trespassers shall be prosecuted in future. Of course the notice above referred to must not be taken to apply in any way to the ordinary visitors to the course.

The Opihi Bridge. The dangerous state of the Cpiha River having long been regarded as a disgrace to the district, the Temuka Road Board some little time ago opened a correspondence with the Levels Road Board, for the purpose of bridging the river at the joint expense of the two Boards, It appears that the boundary line between the two Road Board districts is somewhere in the centre of the river bed. The Levels Road Board replied that they were in want of funds and could then do nothing. After a lapse of some considerable time the Temuka Board wrote, offering to lend the Levels Board money at ordinary rate of interest, to assist in building the much required bridge. The reply received to this very liberal offer was that at present the Levels Board did not see their way to accepting the offer of the Temuka Road Board. Until the former Road Board sees fit to stir in the matter, passengers on the Main South road between Temuka and Timaru must continue to risk their lives fording the deep and rapid River Opihi. The Telephone in China. —The Chinese (says “ Chambers’ Journal”) have long regarded telegraph wire as a very convenient source of tea box nails, while some of these child-like individuals caught in the act of cutting down the posts have been known to plead that they thought they grew there. The Celestials have hitherto shown a peculiar spite against the telegraph, both cable and land line, and it is satisfactory to learn that they are now much better disposed to it, the telephone having opened their eyes to its advantages. The fact is, they did not understand the former telegraphs, and they were unsuited to the Chinese language, which has no alphabet. But now the telephone enables them to converse, and transmits with peculiar fidelity the metallic twang of their monosyllabic language. They are vastly delighted with it, and have just discovered for the first time that it was originally Chinese, having been invented in the year 960 by Kung Foo Whing, an announcement which will satisfy their self-complacency without disturbing the equanimity of Prof. Bell. The Suez Mail.—The s.s. Arawata, from Melbourne, with the Suez mail on board, reached the Bluff last niiffit. According to arrangements recently made the mail will be forwarded North by special train. Rush Near Geetmouxh.—The “Grey River Argus ” states that there are between sixty and seventy men at work on the North Beach at tho new rush. There are six or seven parties on gold, and the majority of the miners are sanguine that the rush will turn out well.

Salmon in the Hokitika. Young salmon from five to seven inches in length (says the “ West Coast Times ") continue to be taken in the Hokitika river. There is no doubt the whitebait fishers—nearly all Chinese —catch these young salmon occasionally, and it is a pity that the Government did not issue regulations (as they were asked to do by the Westland County Council at the time the salmon fry wore deposited in the Westland rivers, prohibiting all whitebait fishing for a year or two). Had this been done the fish put in the rivers at so considerable a cost, would have had a much better chance of surviving the struggle for existence.

Triennial Parliaments. —The following is the Bill on this subject introduced by the late Ministry :—" Be it enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :—“ 1. The short title of this Act is The Triennial Parliaments Act, 1879. 2. After the dissolution or other determination of the present General Assembly, the House of Representatives shall continue for a period of three years, to be computed from the day fixed for the return of the first writ issued for choosing such House. But nothing in this Act shall be deemed to limit or control the power of the Governor to dissolve the said General Assembly, in exercise of any power or authority vested in him.”